125 days to celebrate 125 years

Candis Jones talks with fourth grade students as she pushes them on a flatbed cart. Jones, a Belk store employee volunteer, helped with a makeover project at Northeast Elementary School. Students learned about building, art and giving back to the community.

Janet S. Carter / The Free Press

By Jessika Morgan / Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 08:06 PM.

Northeast Elementary School was brushed by a Belk retail store service sweep this week.

In efforts to celebrate the company’s 125th year, more than 300 southern stores are providing local school makeovers from March 10 to July 12 — or 125 days.

Based on need, 301 schools were afforded various service projects by Belk associates who volunteered.

Ten store employees worked on a picnic table, shelves and paintings with fourth grade students at Northeast, the selected area school.

“I’m so thankful that Belk was able to come out and just give these kids experiences that they’ve never had before,” said Northeast fourth grade teacher Danielle Groseclose, who spent the morning helping coordinate the project. “It shows them that there are people out there in the world that are there to do nice things. I don’t think that they get to see that a lot; in the news, it’s always negative.”

She said the students additionally had a chance to apply real-world skills they’ve been learning in class.

Student Shkur Hardy, 10, painted a picture of a volcano beneath a river based on Greek mythological god Hephaestus.

Northeast Elementary School was brushed by a Belk retail store service sweep this week.

In efforts to celebrate the company’s 125th year, more than 300 southern stores are providing local school makeovers from March 10 to July 12 — or 125 days.

Based on need, 301 schools were afforded various service projects by Belk associates who volunteered.

Ten store employees worked on a picnic table, shelves and paintings with fourth grade students at Northeast, the selected area school.

“I’m so thankful that Belk was able to come out and just give these kids experiences that they’ve never had before,” said Northeast fourth grade teacher Danielle Groseclose, who spent the morning helping coordinate the project. “It shows them that there are people out there in the world that are there to do nice things. I don’t think that they get to see that a lot; in the news, it’s always negative.”

She said the students additionally had a chance to apply real-world skills they’ve been learning in class.

Student Shkur Hardy, 10, painted a picture of a volcano beneath a river based on Greek mythological god Hephaestus.

Groseclose added a student working with Belk role models is, “very impactful to inspire them to go out and be that same kind of person.”

Jason Bailey, local Belk store manager, said this is the first time the company in Kinston has participated in a school makeover project.

“This is one small way we can give back to the community that supports our stores,” said Bailey, who’s worked with Belk eight years. “Our customers are a part of the community, so we felt like our children are our future. They’re our future shoppers; their parents shop in our stores. We felt like it was important that we give back in some way.”

He said all 44 Kinston store employees volunteered for the Northeast project.

Store associate Taylor Bielby, who works in the Kid’s Department, was thrilled to work with students who painted portraits for the school library.

“This is wonderful,” she said. “(The kids) are enjoying themselves. It’s amazing to see the smiles on their faces, what we can do for them and what they can do for us.”

Volunteers assisted students with paint and brushes and picnic table construction for about two hours. Some fourth graders hoped Belk would someday return for another round.

“I feel like if they can do it for us now, they might be able to do it for us in the future,” said Chazitee Everett, 10. “My favorite part about today was painting and doing things to encourage us for the EOGs. I’m glad that (Belk) gave it to us for free.”

Belk supplied Northeast materials for the project and will officially celebrate its anniversary on May 29.

“We’ve been around 125 years and obviously we couldn’t have done it without the communities we exist in,” Bailey said. “We’re not looking to get anything out of it. It’s just a way to say thank you for 125 years of support.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.